Monday, August 31, 2009

OK, anyone who read Saturday's post knows what I'm talking about here. While on a walk along the Big Spring I spotted a group of Cedar Waxwings zipping in and out of a bare tree branch. So, I kept the camera fixed on that branch. Looking down into the brush on the edge of the spring. I looked up from the eyepiece and saw this. I then swing the camera up the short 4 or 5 feet from where I was watching the Waxwings fired off a couple shots and he was gone. I thought, "Awesome, how often does that happen?" Then I dawned on me (People with DSLR's set to manual, take notes) The settings where set for the dark shadows and brush the Waxwings were in. The deer was in full harsh sunlight. That's right the pictures I got were blown out badly. Thank God for Photoshop, I was able to fix the exposure and get this. Pretty cool.

Sunday, August 30, 2009

Some of the critters that make themselves at home in my backyard. These and some other birds that I've shown you before. Them and a groundhog or two. But being a groundhog in my backyard has proven dangerous this summer. (Mockingbird, Robin, Chipmunk and Cottontail Rabbit )

Saturday, August 29, 2009

More from my walk along the Big Spring. The bald cardinal was seen not far from the last baldy I got pictures of. Maybe it's the same one. Others include a Downy Woodpecker, some Cedar Waxwings and Goldfinches. While taking pictures of the Waxwings flitting in and out of the trees I looked up and had a surprise. Check back Monday for that one.

Friday, August 28, 2009

Another old school firehouse and another old firehouse that now stands as a restaurant. This one sits on West Main Street. The Rescue Hook and Ladder was founded in 1888 and later merged with the Citizen's Fire & Rescue Co. No. 2 in 1975. The old station house is now Jo Jo's Pizza.

Thursday, August 27, 2009

Back again for SkyWatch Friday on Thursday. Dug this picture up from the way-back files. Taken last January on one cold day as I stood out in this snowy field with the camera on the tripod snapping the last of the sunset through the clouds. Remember, click on the SkyWatch icon on my sidebar and check out everyone else's from across the globe.

Wednesday, August 26, 2009

This Mail Pouch Building sits along Hanson Avenue between Randolph and Arbor Streets in Lyndora, Pa. Lyndora sits just southwest of Butler in Butler County, so close you don't know when you leave one or enter the other. I'm not sure if I like these old Mail Pouch buildings better than barns or not. Some of the best kept faded ads are found on buildings in town that have been protected for years by a adjoining building like this one. Funny thing is this isn't the only ad on this street.

Tuesday, August 25, 2009

"Imagine there's no Heaven. It's easy if you try. No hell below us. Above us only sky. Imagine all the people, Living for today." John Lennon 1971

This is the John Lennon memorial in the Strawberry Fields area of Central Park in New York City. Located across Central Park West from the Dakota Apartments where John Lennon, former Beatle, and his wife Yoko Ono lived. On December 8, 1980 John was murdered as he left his car and was entering the apartment building. Yoko still live there. Yesterday's picture was part of the railing that surrounds the Dakota. Last weekend we parked near here, just around the corner and closer to 74th Street and walked to Strawberry Fields and then on through the park. This mosaic was placed as a memorial to John by Yoko Ono on what would have been his 45th birthday, October 9, 1985.

"You may say that I'm a dreamer. But I'm not the only one. I hope someday you'll join us. And the world will be as one ."

Monday, August 24, 2009

Part of the railing around a building on West 72nd Street in New York City. Painted black, it was difficult to get a really clear picture of it. Spent some time playing with it in Photoshop, not too sure if I like the end result. But I'm thinking I want these around my deck. Wouldn't that be cool?

Sunday, August 23, 2009

I told you last Sunday's bird walk was a good one. Imagine my surprise when the first bird I saw was this one. Not exactly sure what it was at the time but I knew it was some sort of shore bird. When I got home I checked the book and it is a Sandpiper and I think it is a Spotted Sandpiper. (If you think otherwise let me know). Funny thing, when you think sandpiper you think warm sunny beaches and the shore but here one is less than a mile downstream from the head of a cold water limestone spring.

Saturday, August 22, 2009

After a trip to New York City on Friday and Saturday I headed for the solitude of Big Spring Sunday morning. Had a really good walk, saw birds I've never seen over there and birds I haven't seen for a while. And I didn't see birds that I have seen on every walk this past spring and summer so maybe the seasons are changing. I don't know if there were more than one or if I just kept jumping the same Egret. I did get a bunch of pictures of him.

Friday, August 21, 2009

Funny how I can be driving down the street see something like this out of the corner of my eye and know it's time for a U turn. Because that's an old firehouse. I know nothing about the Steelton Fire Department, went to a Dauphin County parade there years ago, so I went to their website for some information. To my surprise Steelton once had six fire companies (Citizen's, Paxtang, West Side, Baldwin, Hygienic & East Side). It turns out that this was originally the home of the Paxtang Hook & Ladder Co. #2. Organized in September of 1888 their first building was on South Front Street but moved to this house on North Front Street at Lincoln Street in 1899. According to their site this company disbanded at some point and this station was eventually taken over by the West End Hose Co. #3 after their station was destroyed in the 1972 flood.

Thursday, August 20, 2009

This is a view we've seen before. (Early Morning SkyWatch)(Moon Rise) This is the field behind my house. Ever sit waiting on the sun to set and turn around and realize all the colors are behind you? That was this day. I going to try SkyWatch again this week, it's been a while. Click on the SkyWatch icon on my sidebar to see more.

Wednesday, August 19, 2009

Don't know much about this one. Not sure if this was an old mill or a packaging warehouse. Couldn't find anything on the internet. It is located to the rear of Carlisle and Philadelphia Streets in York, Pennsylvania.

Tuesday, August 18, 2009

No, this alley isn't in Shippensburg. This alley is Broadway at 46th Street in Manhatton, a.k.a. Times Square. I think this area is called the Theatre District. Recently parts of this area have been closed off to vehicular traffic, probably to make room for more people. I guess people spent more money than cars driving through. If you look at the second picture near the center, left of the 'QU' in square you can see two bright lights, the bottom says 2009 and the top is the New Years Eve ball. This may not be some alley in Shippensburg but it is 11 o'clock at night. We left at midnight and I'm sure 6 more people showed up to take our place. New York is definately an aquired taste.

Monday, August 17, 2009

Welcome to my weekend. I drove into New York City Friday just past noon and Saturday by one in the afternoon I was westbound across the George Washington Bridge. I know I say it over and over but you MUST click on this picture and check it out. We drove around for almost an hour looking for the Brooklyn Bridge Park before we found it. I get out of the van set up my tripod and it explodes. Parts and pieces went flying. I managed to shove the short leg into the safety fence along the waterway and pulled out some awesome shots. This is three of them stitched together. To the left is Lower Manhattan, the bridge is the bridge, the Brooklyn Bridge and to the far right in the green light is the Empire State Building. Like I said just over 24 hours in the City I only took about 200 pictures and those didn't cover a very broad variety of subjects. I'll fix up some more soon. Now, click on the picture and see it big.

Saturday, August 15, 2009

A smattering of late summer color in my own backyard. Except that the Butterfly bush is really in my front side yard. If it wasn't for that they would all be in my backyard. The lily is out bay the rock and that other purple thing is along the side of the shed.

Friday, August 14, 2009

If it weren't for that danged Jeep I may have pasted this one off as old. Juicy Lucy sits on 7th Street in Glenwood Springs, Colorado. There is also one in the Cherry Creek section of Denver. I've never eaten here but, hey, that sure looks like a Fat Tire Ale sign to the left of the door. I may need to stop in.

Thursday, August 13, 2009

These are the Otter Cliffs. I spent the last morning of vacation sitting up here by myself watching the eiders and dolphins. Too bad the whole week wasn't this nice. Yes, I believe that is blue sky peeking through and before noon even. All the tour books say that these cliffs are nearly 110 feet tall, that's the highest headlands on the Atlantic Coast north of Rio de Janeiro.

Wednesday, August 12, 2009

This old abandoned factory sits along Front Street between Harrisburg and Steelton, Pa. This longtime empty fortress could be the scene of a lot of pictures. I only stopped for a few. Google was no help finding anything out about Robbins other than there may have been more.

Tuesday, August 11, 2009

Baseball. Frederick Keys Baseball. The Keys are the High Single A team of the Baltimore Orioles, players move from Low A (Delmarva Shorebirds) through Frederick (Maryland) and onto Double A (Bowie Baysox). We traveled to Harry Grove Stadium on the last Saturday in July for what turned into a doubleheader with Friday's rain out. We arrived in plenty of time but the lines were already long, it was Nick Markakis bobblehead night. We finally entered and found some seats. There are no bad seats, reserved seats are the first 5 or 6 rows and above that is general admission. We picked seats on the first base side halfway up the basepath. At 6:05 the anthem was played and it was time to play ball. The first two innings lasted an hour. The opposing pitcher lasted only 2/3 of an inning. It was going to be a long night. Then it rained. Then it rained even harder. Then it poured buckets and buckets. Then, in a break in the downpour, we headed for the truck and some supper. They eventually won the first game but fell to the Lynchburg (Va.) Hillcats in the second game. With a 1 hour 12 minute rain delay the games weren't over until around midnight.

First picture... click on it and check it out. Second... Catcher Caleb Joseph is congratulated after his 3 run homer. Third picture... First Baseman Brandon Waring waits on deck.

Monday, August 10, 2009

Are you thinking what I was thinking? If you are thinking,"Please, Please, Please, don't spit the bubbles juice on my lens." then, yes, we're thinking the same thing. I thought this week would be better and I'll work on that. After last week's single picture posts and the week before's all Maine all week posts I had great expectations for this week. But it's late and I'm tired and uninspired. So, I promised this lovely young lady and her Mom that I had a picture for them. Here it is. If you were waiting for me to hand it to you you'd be waiting like everyone else. In fact I just emailed a picture today that I took at the Memorial Day Parade, so consider yourself lucky.